Fountain Pen Database Available for Download

[Scrog]

What a beautiful gift to all of us. Thank you. I too am grateful and will use this with my new collection. Many thanks!

[dejinshathe]

I've come to FPN looking for information upon which to base purchasing decisions for fountain pens: I plan to build a collection, over the coming years.

 

I have intermittently desired written records of the multivarious accretions of "stuff" that I have accumulated over time, but have never been able to overcome the seemingly mountainous task of databasing an existing collection (perhaps "pile" or "heap" would be more accurate words).

 

To be at the beginning of a fountain pen collection, and to have such a fine tool as this inventory at my disposal; this is a good thing that you have done, sir.

 

I thank you kindly.

[wfaulk]

Can you tell me what format it is please?

I'm on Linux and may be able to import it, then provide a mysql version?

It's just a database application, not a database. The only data in it is the schema, no records. You have to add your own data. So there's not really anything to import.

 

That said, does anyone know of a database that tries to be a complete listing of fountain pens in some manner?

 

Alternately, it would be very cool if this application could be extended to access a remote database instead of the local one, and we could search and investigate each others' pens.

[riff raff]

I've played around with the OpenOffice.org Base, but I'm not very good at creating usable interfaces. Still, Base looks like a usable application, if anyone wants to try their hand.

[nkk]

There's always one!

Firstly thanks for this. Can you tell me what format it is please?

I'm on Linux and may be able to import it, then provide a mysql version?

 

Dave

 

 

I would be very appreciative for a Linux version. I currently use OO.org database, but the inability for it to make a freestanding database that can be run anywhere is very annoying.

 

-Nkk

 

EDIT: Somehow I managed to break these up into two posts and no one multiquote post. Odd.

Edited October 31, 2010 by nkk

[nkk]

I've played around with the OpenOffice.org Base, but I'm not very good at creating usable interfaces. Still, Base looks like a usable application, if anyone wants to try their hand.

 

 

Base cannot make a databse application that runs alone. Office access and filemaker can do this, but OO.org base is not that far into its development. It is a relatively new addition to the OOo suite. That being said, if one only has one computer, then using base is fine.

 

-Nkk

[riff raff]

I've played around with the OpenOffice.org Base, but I'm not very good at creating usable interfaces. Still, Base looks like a usable application, if anyone wants to try their hand.

 

 

Base cannot make a databse application that runs alone. Office access and filemaker can do this, but OO.org base is not that far into its development. It is a relatively new addition to the OOo suite. That being said, if one only has one computer, then using base is fine.

 

-Nkk

I guess I'm confused, then. To wit:

 

"When a personal use database is all you need, BASE offers the full HSQL relational database engine, configured for single user, with the data stored right in the BASE file, as well as native support for dBase flat files.

 

"For power users in the enterprise, BASE delivers native support drivers for a variety of multi-user database engines: MySQL, Adabas D, MS Access and PostgreSQL. In addition, support for JDBC and ODBC standard drivers allows you to connect to virtually any existing database."

 

 

Besides, I'd hazard a guess that most people are running this FileMaker database on "only one" computer.

[knitknitfrog]

I have read so many positive things about this database ... and I'd love to try it. I have downloaded it a few times over the past month but it only ever opens up the first time and then an Alert dialog box opens (its blank with no details) then it all freezes and a few minutes latter it quits and I get the option to send a report to Mac.

I'm running an Imac OSX version 10.5.8, with a 2.66 Ghz Core 2 Duo and 2Gb 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAm

I've downloaded it a few times and restarted and had the usual Mac updates .. but still can't run the fountain pen data base

 

any one else with a similarly configured mac having any success?

Please?

 

Stella

[tomagig]

Hello,

I downloaded it, was it supposed to come with pens in the DB or for our personal use? What would be nice is say you had it in PHP it could be web based and work on every OS. You could then have shared pens, and maybe interface directly with IPBoard.3(FPN). I may use it tho, but if I ever need a pen DB I will make it in PHP and allow user sign ups, and of course open source it.

Just a thought.

[Sagar_C]

Doesn't work for me. I am using Mac with Snow Leopard 10.6.5.

[knitknitfrog]

Doesn't work for me. I am using Mac with Snow Leopard 10.6.5.

that is two of us with mac installation problems then ... will any one help us?

please?

[Sagar_C]

Doesn't work for me. I am using Mac with Snow Leopard 10.6.5.

that is two of us with mac installation problems then ... will any one help us?

please?

 

Not two, actually three: my friend with Mac/Tiger cannot get it to work as well The software never starts!

Edited November 23, 2010 by Sagar_C

[jonro]

Doesn't work for me. I am using Mac with Snow Leopard 10.6.5.

that is two of us with mac installation problems then ... will any one help us?

please?

 

Not two, actually three: my friend with Mac/Tiger cannot get it to work as well The software never starts!

What computers and versions of the OS are you using? Are these PPC or Intel-processor Macs?

Edited November 23, 2010 by jonro

[ArchiMark]

FWIW, I've been using the database on my trusty ol' MacBook C2D for over a year with no problems...first with Tiger and then Leopard, and now Snow Leopard, latest version....

 

All this app is a FileMaker database...those of you with problems with this should see if you can download, install, and run either a demo version of Filemaker or a free runtime version if one's available...if it runs, then the pen database should run I think....

 

Anyway, very odd....

[jonro]

Thousands of people have downloaded the database, and I've only received a small handful of people who said they had trouble running it. I may release a new version soon, but I haven't decided how to handle the issue of upgrading people to the newer version.

[stylogos]

Just downloaded the database on a Mac, and it works fine with with Snow Leopard. Great work for you to build this for the fountain pen collector community. --Rocky

[knitknitfrog]

Good to know I will try it again tomorrow and hope it works for me to

Stella

[newgold]

I hadn't gotten far enough along to make any comments about currency etc. but your attitude to suggestions is a joy.

[Robert Alan]

Thousands of people have downloaded the database, and I've only received a small handful of people who said they had trouble running it. I may release a new version soon, but I haven't decided how to handle the issue of upgrading people to the newer version.

 

Hello! I want to personally thank you for sharing your program. It is so helpful! The only question I have is how do I make a back-up copy. I have Norton software on my PC (Vista), and it's set to automatically back-up my hard-drive to an outboard drive, but I would like to have the inventory on a CD/DVD disk to put in a safe place. I cannot figure out how to do it. Must I have the actual software on the disk, too?

 

Thanks for any suggestions you could offer.

 

Best of luck and good health in the New Year. i hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

 

Cheers, Robert

[WontonST]

Thousands of people have downloaded the database, and I've only received a small handful of people who said they had trouble running it. I may release a new version soon, but I haven't decided how to handle the issue of upgrading people to the newer version.

 

Hello! I want to personally thank you for sharing your program. It is so helpful! The only question I have is how do I make a back-up copy. I have Norton software on my PC (Vista), and it's set to automatically back-up my hard-drive to an outboard drive, but I would like to have the inventory on a CD/DVD disk to put in a safe place. I cannot figure out how to do it. Must I have the actual software on the disk, too?

 

Thanks for any suggestions you could offer.

 

Best of luck and good health in the New Year. i hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

 

Cheers, Robert

 

If you intend on backing it up onto a CD/DVD, you should just drag the entire folder (with the software) onto the disk. This is because once you burn a disk, you can't add anything else onto it. Therefore, no harm in having a little extra. You can also copy the entire thing from the disk onto another computer without having to get the software all over again; it's convenient.

 

However, keep in mind that files on a disk are not modifiable. Don't run the software off the disk and modify things because it won't save.

 

Hope that was of some use.

 

Regards,

Wonton